"Waiting on you bro" - NBA superstar Damian Lillard pitches Tyrann Mathieu to join the Raiders
The NFL offseason has moved at a whirlwind pace with trades and free-agent signings galore, yet Tyrann Mathieu remains without a home. Mathieu is one of the elite safeties in the league. More importantly, he's a culture setter and someone teams would want as a locker room leader.
NBA superstar Damian Lillard took to Twitter on Saturday to make a recruiting pitch to Mathieu. The Portland Trail Blazers stud told Honey Badger that the Las Vegas Raiders are waiting and are an interested party.
@Mathieu_Era #RaiderNation waiting on you bro! 🤷🏽♂️
Lillard is a well-known Raiders fan, as he was born in Oakland, California. He's attempted to recruit star players to the franchise before, most notably Odell Beckham Jr. He even has a tattoo of the Raiders' logo on his arm.
The Raiders would be a fascinating landing spot for Mathieu. After spending the previous three seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, he could bring valuable insight into how one of the Raiders' biggest rivals operates.
On paper, the AFC West has stockpiled talent from around the league to become the most competitive division in the NFL. Mathieu would join the recently signed Chandler Jones and Davante Adams in Las Vegas, if he signed to Las Vegas.
Despite Lillard's wishes, nobody knows when Mathieu will sign with his next NFL team or who it will be.
Who will Tyrann Mathieu sign with?
There hasn't been a shortage of suitors interested in signing Mathieu. Rumors have connected him with the New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers, and others.
The best insight we've gotten into Mathieu's free agency came from NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, who revealed some inside information on the Pat McAfee Show on Friday. Rapoport said,
"Julio Jones and Tyrann Mathieu could have signed at many places already, but they want to get the contract they deserve."
"Julio Jones & Tyrann Mathieu could have signed at many places already but they want to get the contract they deserve" ~@RapSheet
#PMSLive https://t.co/ajfErrXL04
Tyrann Mathieu will be 30 years old next season, and NFL teams are often wary about seeing that number attached to a player's age.
Teams Mathieu has negotiated with may be either trying to sign him to a short-term deal or a deal that isn't paying him enough money.
Mathieu likely knows this is his final chance to earn a massive payday before he crosses the age threshold where those offers don't come in.
Imma break the record for being counted out the most. #StillUndefeated
He's a three-time First-Team All-Pro selection and has been one of the NFL's best safeties since entering the league in 2013. He deserves to be paid as such, even if he has to wait.
Until then, he remains one of the NFL's premier unsigned free agents.